Emily Capodilupo: Why we need A Title IX for research

She was the company’s first full-time employee and first scientist. Before joining WHOOP in 2013, she studied Neurobiology at Harvard University and studied circadian biology in the Analytical and Modeling Unit of the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Capodilupo’s talk made the case that a Title IX for research is needed. She shared two important lessons her team uncovered while working on wearable data this year to illustrate the power they have to close the gender research gap.

As a runner and former gymnast, Capodilupo’s work now revolves around creating algorithms to optimize human performance using physiological data at WHOOP. She also oversees research that discovered novel findings such as predicting risk for COVID-19 and modulating training according to the menstrual cycle’s hormonal fluctuations.

Despite the success of Title IX, female representation in research remains generations behind. According to a study done on sport and exercise science research conducted between 2014 and 2020, just 6% of athletic performance research focuses on females.

You can watch Capodilupo’s full TEDxBoston talk below:

So often what passes for best practices, isn't rooted in vigorous science.

Emily Capodilupo